TAHUDEI

Init +2
Melee Atk
 • bladed tail +13 (1d24)
AC 30
HD 16d12+8
MV 50
Act 2d20+1d16
SP rapid burrowing
Fort +14
Ref +2
Will +14
AL L

Once every 1d24 years, Tahudei burrows up from deep in the earth and wreaks havoc upon the surface of the world. It roams in search of food, as simple as that, eating whatever animal life it comes across.

Seventy-four feet long, Tahudei can burrow through the earth as fast as it can run. When it is head-down in the dirt, with it's tail still above the surface, the AC of its tail is considered to be a 15.

After it has consumed approximately 500 pounds of meat, sinew, and bone, the creature will burrow back down to some nest deep beneath the surface and remain there for another 1d24 years.


Produced using Monster Extractor III: Giants & Giant Creatures

THE DAMNED THING

Init +3
Melee Atk
 • claw +8 (1d6+2)
 • bite +6 (2d4+2)
AC 14+
HD 5d12+6
MV 40
Act 2d20
SP invisible, absolute stealth, AC variance, rake
Fort +8
Ref +9
Will +4
AL C

The Damned Thing is a large, ferocious creature, invisible to men's eyes (and those of Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Zorbits, and other humanoid creatures). It is content to live it's life alone in the wilderness, but reacts violently if disturbed. And being invisible, it can be difficult to not disturb it.

Owing to the creature's invisible nature, it's Armor Class is variable. If it is facing off with only one opponent, it's AC is higher on average than if a dozen men are in melee with it. If that one opponent can get in their attacks in close proximity, each successive attack will have an easier chance to hit, as will the successive attacks of those dozen men. The Thing's AC changes as follows:

Attack Since
Thing Moved       AC Bonus
1st               1d12
2nd               1d10
3rd-4th           1d8
5th-6th           1d7
7th-9th           1d5
10th+             1d3

Thus, if the single opponent attacks twice in a round (or if new Initiative results mean that they attack twice before the Damned Thing acts again), on their first attack, the creature has an AC of from 15-26, while against the second attack the creature has an AC from 15-24. If a dozen men each have one attack after the creature has acted, the first of them attacks against an AC from 15-26, while "down the line" the eighth of them attacks versus an AC of 15-19.

This simulates "zeroing in" on exactly where the creature is, and what it is shaped like. The Judge is encouraged to drop an extra step or two down the chart for appropriate area effect attacks. For affects that "can't miss" but still need to be targeted at something, consider adding the AC Bonus Die to a Saving Throw, or using the AC Bonus Die in other ways to reflect how difficult it is to target the Thing. Similarly, if the Damned Thing is found in a field of wheat, start the process two or three steps down the chart, to simulate the fact that the "hole" in the wheat gives the creature's location away (though does not reveal it's entire outline).

If the Damned Thing should be caught by surprise use only it's base AC for defense.

If the creature should attack with both claw attacks at once against one target, and both attacks land successfully, it can immediately make a third claw attack against that target.

The creature is completely and utterly silent in all cases and in all of it's actions.


Drawn from the story of the same name by Ambrose Bierce.

ARSENAL JELLY

Init +4
Melee Atk
 • pseudopod +2 (1d3)
 • weapon +1 (as normal -1d)
Ranged Atk
 • weapon +0 (as normal -1d)
AC 13
HD 20d6
MV 25
Act 5d16 (+5d6)
SP amorphous, disarm
Fort +10
Ref +12
Will n/a
AL C

The Arsenal Jelly is a massive, mindless blob of translucent protoplasm. However, belying its mindless nature, it does seek to disarm its foes and use their own weapons against them — squooshing it's own gooey matter between the foe's hand and the weapon's pommel (or equivalent) to usurp the weapon. This seems to be some kind of bizarre reflex action, rather than a considered course of action.

Its gelatinous nature means it can fit through spaces smaller than it's volume by changing shape. It can arrange itself to face multiple foes, or potentially limit the number of foes that can reach it, depending upon the circumstances.

To disarm a foe, the Jelly uses a pseudopod attack. If successful, they disarm the target (assuming the target has a weapon in hand) on a simple 4-in-7 roll. This roll is adjusted by either the foe's Agility Modifier or Luck Modifier, as chosen by the player. For example, if the foe has a +1 Agility Modifier (which is better than their Luck Modifier), then the roll becomes a 3-in-7. If the foe has a -2 Luck Mod (which is better than their Agility Modifier), the roll becomes 6-in-7.

To grab a weapon away from the Jelly, assume success unless the Arsenal Jelly can succeed at the above 4-in-7 roll.

In using a foe's weapon, the Arsenal Jelly rolls its damage on a die one step down the Dice Chain from normal for the weapon.

The creature can focus it's efforts in various ways. This is represented by a pool of 5d6 which can be added to it's Action Dice rolls as the Judge sees fit, either singly or using 2 or more with one Action Die. These can be used for any action where the Action Dice would be rolled to determine the outcome, from physical feats such as spanning a large gap ("Jumping"). or attacking, and so on.

When first encountering an Arsenal Jelly, it could have 1d10 minus 1d6 standard weapons to start out; this could include bows and arrows, and other ranged weapons.They are stored inside it's mass, just barely visible until extruded for use.

FURRY JELLY

Init +1
Melee Atk
 • topple +5 (1d6 & prone)
 • acid +0 (1d3, numbness)
AC 16
HD 3d8 +3d8 ablative
MV 35
Act 1d20
SP entrap
Fort +5
Ref +3
Will n/a
AL C

A furry jelly is a mass of dark amber gel, roughly the volume of a Clydesdale horse. It is a voracious carnivore. It converts bones it consumes into the shells of the eggs of its numerous offspring. And it extrudes the hair and fur of the animals it consumes as a complete pelt or the like to cover its own surface.

Half of it's Hit Dice represent the heavy fur the thing is covered in, not representing hit points which could theoretically be healed, but only replaced by feeding on more animals. Thus, a brief skirmish might reduce a furry jelly's 'ablative' hit points, but leave it completely unharmed.

It attacks by rearing up and falling down on its prey, knocking them down, covering them, and then dissolving them with acid. A target aware of the attack can roll out from under the creature by making a DC 15 Reflex Save; making this Save by 5 or more avoids the damage altogether.

[Attacks vs. prone victims generally gain a +2 bonus.]

Every time a target is affected by the jelly's acid attack, they are affected by increasing numbness. This takes the form of a -1 to Agility and then -1 Strength from each successive attack. This heals at a rate of 1 point per Turn after the attack is over.

A furry jelly reproduces rapidly, generating one egg for every Hit Die it consumes, approximately HD days after the prey has been consumed. The size of the egg can vary, depending on the size of the prey.

IRAVIAN, THE PROTECTOR OF THE GREAT SECRET

Init +6
Melee Atk
 • Claw +7 (1d6 +1d6 special)
AC 17
HD 6d6 (36 hp)
MV 40
Act 1d20 +1d16
SP un-dead, horrific, alignment defense, max hp
Fort n/a
Ref +6
Will n/a
AL C

The wizard Iravian the Deceiver, as she was then known, discovered the Great Secret half a millennium ago. She was found unworthy of the Secret and the supernatural energies instead turned her into the Protector of the Great Secret, a zombie-like warrior of animal intelligence, steered by the mystic power of the Great Secret itself.

Her claw attack does 2d6 damage, while one of these dice indicates the number of lost hit points that Iravain regains, patching damage to herself by harming others.

Her appearance is swollen and bloated by decay in a disturbing and bone-chilling way. Once she has turned her distorted face to an opponent within 20 feet of her, that opponent must make a Will Save vs. DC 17 or be unable to strike her for the rest of the encounter, due to their revulsion.

Beings of the same alignment as Iravian can do her no harm. If they try, their efforts simply have no discernible effect, pass through her, or are otherwise supernaturally negated.

She can give up an Action Die and discard a wound she has suffered, as if peeling away a garment and dropping it to the ground. The Judge should simply write down each roll of damage done to her, rather than a total, and cross out wounds she discards.

Iravian has maximum hit points for her hit dice. Even so, her animal-level intelligence means she will not easily fight to her own destruction, taking note of escape routes and opportunities, and employing them as needed when called to retreat.

Iravian is activated by the Great Secret when Dzugana attempts to share what he knows with anyone, pursuing those individuals until she destroys them or they destroy her.



Created using Monster Extractor II: The Un-Dead, available on RPGNow and DriveThruRPG.

DZUGANA THE GHOST WIZARD

Init +9
Ranged Atk
 • Ectoplasmic Spray +7 (20'; see below)
AC 14
HD 7d8
MV 30
Act 1d20 +1d16
SP un-dead, intangible, horrific visage, regeneration, spells, limited recall
Fort n/a
Ref +5
Will n/a
AL N

Dzugana the Wizard stumbled onto the Great Secret two and-a-half centuries ago and was clawed to death by its Protector. But he could not cross over to the afterlife, his obsession to share this secret was so strong.

He appears as a bloodless human with a horrifically damaged face and body. Objects pass through him, and while he tends to move about as if corporeal, he can pass through objects as well. While he was possessed of mighty mental ability in life, being so near to death for so long his thoughts are muddled and vague.

He searches for someone worthy to hear his secret, individuals of strong mien and accomplishment. The PCs (or some of them) are such folk.

Anyone who would attempt to harm Dzugana or dispel him in any way will face his Ectoplasmic Blast. The ectoplasm reduces the Action Dice of anyone hit by it one step down the Dice Chain. It takes 1d3 Action Dice remove enough of the slime to negate the effect. Multiple blasts do not reduce Action Dice further, but do increase the severity of the effect, with each blast adding 1d3 to the number of Action Dice needed to remove the ectoplasmic slime.

Dzugana can be harmed by attacks, even though he is intangible, since the psychic intent of violence can translate into harm for him. However, it requires a DC 15 Will Save to not be distracted by his horrific visage to do this. His own fear of violence and supernatural status grants him a DC 15 Reflex Save to avoid the attack. (Judge and player should roll these checks simultaneously, to see if it's worth rolling the attack roll). Note that damage that might come from acts or outcomes not driven by violent intent only require Dzugana's Reflex Save, and only then if no more than half of his movement rate would be enough to get him out of harm's way.

He regenerates 1d8 hp per hour.

Once per day he may be able to dredge up the memory of a spell. The Judge should choose a few spells that Dzugana might recall and be able to cast. He could also teach these spells to another wizard, though it takes 2d3 weeks of study per spell, which ends with a Personaly check vs. a DC 15 for the learning Wizard. Failing the Personality roll, the Wizard will need another 2d3 weeks of study to learn the spell in question from the un-dead wizard and require another check. Dzugana is woefully poor as a professor.

Anyone that Dzugana shares the location of the Great Secret with will find themselves hunted by Iravian the Protector.



IDEAS FOR THE GREAT SECRET IN YOUR CAMPAIGN

Any one idea I could list as The Definitive Great Secret might not be suitable for your own game, so here is a short list of ideas you can build on, if those of your own devising fall short in your eyes.

1) Worldwide Rewind - A device which can turn time backwards and return reality to a point in the far distant past. This can re-boot a campaign that's gone wrong somehow, or shift the action (permanently?) to another setting altogether (MCC, anyone?).

2) Instant Power - A well of raw power such that the characters making use of it are advanced some fixed number of levels of your choosing, or a random number of levels (1d3+1?). This allows you to simply run higher level adventures with them, or prepares them for a coming cataclysm or impending armegeddon. This power may come with a price, such as aging 1d100% of their current age, or all previous possessions turning to dust, or attracting the attention of demon princes who can drink this infusion of power from the characters to improve themselves (and perhaps return the PCs to their former Level, if desired).

3) The Power of Life & Death - Those who learn the Great Secret have the power to raise the dead back to life with a wave of their hand... The price for using this power should be hefty. If you don't wish to come up with your own price, try this one: each time an individual uses the power, they age. The first time they use it, they age merely a day. The next time, it is a week. The next time, a month. Then six months, then a year, then 5 years, then a decade, half a century, a century, and so on. Those they return to life may be in the full flower of youth, or just as they were when they passed, or some other state of life, as the Judge sees fit. Having this power will probably draw much unwanted attention...



Created using Monster Extractor II: The Un-Dead, available on RPGNow and DriveThruRPG.

UNDEAD LIZARDMAN

Init +7
Melee Atk
 • Lance +4 (1d12)
 • Claw +3 (1d6)
AC 15
HD 10d6
MV 30
Act 1d20 +1d16
SP un-dead, withering, flesh matters not
Fort n/a
Ref +13
Will n/a
AL L

Undead Lizardmen have pale flesh and scales, red eyes, and are absolutely silent when they and their mounts are motionless. They fight fiercely, charging in on their mounts and making maximum use of their lances.

By touch, they can wither a target, reducing the target's Strength by 1d6 points. They can give up their d16 Action Die to channel this effect through attacks with their lances, as desired.

All successful attacks directed against them are reduced to 1 point of damage per damage die, such is their state of un-death. However, they do not recover from damage, except by the intervention of a corrupt Lizardman Cleric or higher power.


WAR LIZARD MOUNT
Init +3*, Bite +4 (1d8), AC 14, HD 7d8, MV 50, Act 1d20, SP waterwalking, Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +2, AL N

War Lizards use their rider's Initiative when used as a mount.

They can run across water and other such substances by moving at full speed (using their Action Die for Movement) and rising up on their hind legs.


BONUS!
BASIC STATS!

UNDEAD LIZARDMAN
Move: 60 feet per turn
Hit Dice: 5
Armor Class: 5
Treasure Type: I
Alignment: chaotic evil 
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1-6 points

Undead Lizardmen ride War Lizard mounts, employing polearms while mounted and carry short swords for close combat. They may be employed by Wizards of evil disposition as mercenaries, or may vigilantly guard the perimeter of Lizardmen lands. When their attacks score maximum damage, their deathly energies are channeled and the victim loses 1 point of Strength.


WAR LIZARD MOUNT
Move: 120 feet per turn
Hit Dice: 6
Armor Class: 5
Treasure Type: nil
Alignment: neutral
Attacks: 1
Damage: 2-8 points

This is a large, four-legged lizard that some lizardmen use as a mount. It can run on it's hind legs across water, carrying a rider while doing so.



Created using Monster Extractor II: The Un-Dead, available on RPGNow and DriveThruRPG.

BLOODLESS MERCENARIES

Init +5
Melee Atk
 • foil +8 (1d5+1)
 • spear +8 (1d8)
 • confusion touch +9 (1d14 rounds)
Ranged Atk
 • javelin +6 (1d6; 30/60/90)
AC 17
HD 7d14+5
MV 50
Act 2d20+1d20
SP un-dead, near-invisibility, aversion aura
Fort n/a
Ref +10
Will n/a
AL C

Two generations ago, a band of mercenaries took advance payment for their services — specifically to take and hold a specific, remote keep (or other location of your choice). In the fight, they suffered wounds from a magical weapon that caused them to slowly bleed out over the next two days, as they held the site for their pay-masters (and waiting for the balance of their pay). A year after their deaths, they rose on the site, though their bodies had long since been removed, and resumed their defense of it. They slew the occupants at that time, and have continued to make the site uninhabitable ever since...

The Bloodless Mercenaries' third Action Die can only be used for an attack with their foils. They can't dual-wield their spears and foils at the same time, but they can alternate their confusion attacks with foil attacks.

They are very nearly invisible. To attack them without any means of improving one's perception of them, lowers an attacker's Action Die by two steps. Note: the two-step penalty allows for 'partial' improvement in detecting the Mercenaries, which could improve an attacker's chances by one step back up the Dice Chain.

They also project a strong aversion in anyone attempting to attack them. Anyone targeting a Bloodless Mercenary with an attack must first succeed on a Will Save vs. a DC 15. Failing the Save, no attack can be made that round against the Bloodless. This includes ranged attacks — but does not include area-effect attacks directed at other targets that happen to catch the Mercenaries in the area, or attacks that somehow do not require the attacker to target anyone directly.

The Bloodless Mercenaries can cause an individual to suffer from severe confusion by a touch. This causes the target to become unable to act, overwhelmed by memories, false memories, and other psychic 'noise'. They can push through it and take action within any round that they can make a simple roll-under Personality check (though this does not end the confusion effect).


Created using Monster Extractor II: The Un-Dead, available on RPGNow and DriveThruRPG.

MAGISTRATES OF LHYR

Init -4
Melee Atk
 • fisticuffs +4 (1d4)
Ranged Atk
 • aging +3 (1d3 years; 20')
AC 13
HD 4d8+8 (40 hp)
MV 20
Act 2d20
SP un-dead,avoid attacks
Fort +11
Ref +7
Will +8
AL C

From the ancient, lost city-state of Lhyr come a small band of her former judges, dead more than 1400 years. The Magistrates of Lhyr lost their skin to those who sacked Lhyr all those years ago. They wear no official robes or other trappings of their office, feeling unworthy of such, until they regain their true lives. They roam the land, and when they encounter a village or travelers, they proceed to pass their judgement upon them. Needless to say, the Magistrates will find guilt wherever they might look. They then exact the only punishment they can: removing the very years of life from the defendant.

Each year they remove from a victim moves them closer back to life. Dead for 1445 years each, they 'reduce' this number by one for each year of life they steal, and they will return to the living once they have reclaimed all 1445 years. Thus far, they have recovered 1d1000 years.

The Magistrates always start with maximum hit points. If they are injured during their travels, each year they claim thereafter restores 1d8 hit points, until they are back at their full total.

They can dodge attacks with startling rapidity, avoiding any attack with a DC 15 Reflex Save.


Created using Monster Extractor II: The Un-Dead, available on RPGNow and DriveThruRPG.

PIRATE CAPTAIN AYRIK KYNAN

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • return wounds +4 (see below)
Ranged Atk
 • Immobilization +4 (1d5 rnds; 40')
 • Punch/Kick +3 (1d6; 30')
AC 13
HD 3d6+3
MV 40
Act 1d20
SP un-dead
Fort n/a
Ref +10
Will +6
AL C

Nineteen years dead, Captain Kynan hunts for his killer. He appears outwardly to be perfectly normal, until after spending 1d6 Turns in his company, folks start to realize he's not breathing. Usually long before that, he's made his pitch to enlist the aid of whomever he's talking to in finding Captain Scorby, the man who sank Kynan's ship, killed Kynan's crew, and searches still for the treasure denied him by the crafty Captain Kynan.

Kynan can transfer any wounds inflicted upon his undying form by touch. Track each hit he suffers, and he can touch anybody to pass the wound on to them, thus removing the wound from himself. Were he stabbed by a dagger for 3 points of damage, he could give that dagger wound to anyone else (they lose 3 hp), and no longer suffer the loss of hp himself.

With a simple gesture he can send a 'punch' through the air to hit someone up to 30 feet away, or cause someone to freeze in place for a short time.

He cannot be harmed by ill effects that requires a Fort Save to avoid.

In using his unique abilities, he is sometimes mistaken for a sorcerer.

If he is aided in finding Scorby and exacting his revenge, he can reward those who have helped him by revealing the true location of his hidden pirate treasure and sharing it out.


Created using Monster Extractor II: The Un-Dead, available on RPGNow and DriveThruRPG.

INTELLIGENT MOLD

Init [always last]
Melee Atk
 • spores DC 18 Will Save (special, 10' sphere)
AC 5
HD 3d8
MV 0
Act 1d20
SP ignore most damage
Fort +7
Ref n/a
Will +11
AL C

Intelligent Mold (or "Int Mold") affects the mind, taking over the thought process of it's victims, to it's own ends.

The Int Mold will grow in cool, moist places, slowly expanding to fill the suitable environment. When humanoids enter the affected area, the Int Mold will emit spores, attempting to take over the minds of those present. The Mold itself is intelligent, and will wait for the moment of hitting the maximum number of targets.

Affected individuals will have a mere 1d6 rounds each to react. After that, their minds are controlled by the spores.

The effect of the spores can be handled in (at least) two ways in play:

1) If all characters in the party are affected, simply move time forward some number of days, anywhere from 1d3 to 1d12. Characters and players will only find out what events and actions filled those days as they go forward, though the GM may have indicators in obvious places as soon as immediately. Suffice it to say that affected characters have not been themselves... An entire campaign could be re-jiggered in this way, from the obviousness of a band of saints and heroes becoming wanted outlaws, to effects more subtle, but no less problematical.

2) If some or all of the characters in the party are affected, simply encourage the players to 'play against type', to imagine their character's personalities have been subverted for a time (as above) and they should display wholly uncharacteristic traits, habits, and demeanor.

In either case, along with whatever strangeness the characters have been displaying, they are driven by a strong desire to help the mold spread itself. They may fill their pockets with handfuls of the stuff, and place bits of it in dark and dank places nearer to home, or in the next village they encounter, or a different dungeon, a different set of ruins, or wherever they can find in which the mold might thrive.

While the same individual can be affected by the Int Mold again in the future, the effects are lessened, and are completely negligible by the fourth exposure — except in rare cases where the victim becomes a permanent thrall of the Int Mold.

All weapon strikes against the Intelligent Mold count as a single point of damage per damage die. The Judge may rule that larger dice count as two or three dice in strikes against the Int Mold. Fire and high heat will destroy it, outright.


[Presented as an option for the One Page Dungeon Contest entry The Umber Woods from 2016]

FUNGAL OGRE (with Spore Cloud & Fungal Taint)

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • slam +6 (1d6)
Ranged Atk
 • thrown rock +2 (1d10+5)
AC 18
HD 4d10+6
MV 40
Act 2d20
SP crush attack, suffocation attack, infravision 50'
Fort +11
Ref +3
Will +7
AL N

A fungal ogre is a massive, shambling thing, fully nine feet high with tremendous amounts of fungal growth shrouding it's body.

It's actual body is rather slim, though enclosed in a dense, pockmarked exoskeleton, covered in spiky projections. It attacks with great sweeping motions of it's arms. If both such attacks land against a single target, it sweeps that target up into itself, as if performing a deadly bear hug. The target is enveloped in the fungal ogre's living fungal shroud and pressed into the spiky protrusions for an extra 1d6 damage per round. Then the fungal ogre will try to keep them there, suffocating them in hopes they will be it's next meal. The DC to break free from the grip is 20.

Each round a target is within this grip, their Attributes are damaged by 1d3 points each (single roll applied to all Attributes, except Luck). If any Attribute reaches zero the target is dead and the fungal ogre secretes digestive substances which begin to consume the target. Breaking free from the fungal ogre's grip, a target's Attributes will rise back to normal at a rate of 1d4 points each per Turn.



SPORE CLOUD
Init +0
Melee Atk
 • choke (auto hit; 1d3)
 • Fungal Taint Fort DC 13
MV 5 while expanding to full area

Whenever an outcropping of mushrooms is sufficiently disturbed, a spore cloud forms. A spore cloud can also happen when an especially large mushroom ruptures from internal pressures. The initial burst is a 10' radius, or equivalent. It expands out by 5 feet per round in all available directions until reaching it's full volume of up to 60'x60'x60' (or equivalent). The cloud obscures visibility as does a heavy fog. Once fully expanded, it will last for an additional 2d12 rounds before becoming inert and settling.


FUNGAL TAINT
This condition causes an adrenaline-fueled rage in humans and humanoid creatures. This stops the ability to focus and apply Intelligence or Personality, and raises attack bonuses and damage by 2. It lasts for 1d100 minus Stamina score in rounds (minimum of 2 rounds; effectively from 20 seconds to 16 minutes)


[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest entry Future Tense from 2015]

HUSKS OF JOSIAH

Init +2
Melee Atk
 • grab +4 (1d4 +special)
Ranged Atk
 • rocket bombs (1d4x1d12, 100' range, 10' sphere)
AC 13
HD 4d8+6
MV 30
Act 1d20
SP easily staggered
Fort +4
Ref +3
Will n/a
AL N

The Husks of Josiah were left behind on this world on a stopover by a far-flung intelligent race. Subsequently, they were put to use opportunistically by unknown hands, who installed the bomb launching device. Mindless, they are open to suggestion from anyone (though this won't be obvious when they are encountered). Clear orders must be given; they won't break away from a fight from such comments as "I wish these things would just leave us alone!" or the like.

Each Husk is different; some may have insect-like heads, while others have dinosaur heads or even proterozoic-type heads. All known Husks have human-like bodies. They may be dressed in anything from tatters all the way up to formal wear.

After any round in which they take damage, there is a 1-in-5 chance that they will lose their movement action on the next round. This means they can then use their Action Die as normal or for movement, limiting what they can accomplish in that round.

When they grab an opponent, they deal increasing damage for each round the grab is maintained, by pumping toxins into the air around their target. It is assumed that the target is struggling to break their grip. They simply make a new grab attack each round, if it misses, the grip is broken. Each round it is maintained after the first adds an additional 1d3 points to the damage roll. Anyone attempting to break away and flee once a grip is established uses the grab attack total as the DC of a Strength-check to break away.

Each husk holds up to five rocket bombs.

HHROOUQK

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • none
Ranged Atk
 • none
AC 10
HD 10d8+10
MV 1
Act 1d30 + 1d24
SP spells, infravision 60'
Fort +10
Ref +0
Will +15
AL C

The HHROOUQK* is an amorphous slime with vast intelligence and malevolent intent. The monster has strong mental abilities, represented by spells for ease. It may cast each "spell" once per day, but if it rolls a "lost" result on a spellcheck, it can subsequently try the spell again until it does succeed.

The evil slime is an expert at mentally dominating and controlling humanoids. Use the Charm Person spell to represent this ability, and give it a +7 to the spellcheck roll. Once the HHROOUQK has taken control of someone, it can mentally communicate with them once per day drawing information from their mind and sending new instructions, and when needed can summon them back to itself to reinforce control over them.

The HHROOUQK also has the spell Hepsoj's Fecund Fungi, casting it with an additional +2.

The creature should have 1d10 additional spells (or at least equal to the number of members in the party, if running the "Future Tense" One Page Dungeon Contest entry). Choose 1 each of a Wizard's and a Cleric's 1st Level spells. Work up this way through the levels, until the creature's spell roster is full.


* Pronounced while drawing in a breath and ending with a wet noise in the throat.


[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest entry Future Tense from 2015]

BONE-LEECHER (BONE VAMPIRE)

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • intersect +0 (1d10 special)
AC 13 (special)
HD 2d8+2
MV fly 40
Act 1d20
SP ethereal
Fort +4
Ref +3
Will +7
AL C

The alien Bone-Leechers arrive from another realm of existence to feed on vertebrates on this world. Here they are ethereal, floating through objects at-will without hindrance, including living creatures. As they pass through living creatures, they impart a bonus of 1d4 Intelligence per round (to a maximum of 5), which fades at one point per round after the intersection ends. The effect is energizing and invigorating to the victim.

They are averse to mithril, however. Clever persons can herd them using mithril items. If they are made to intersect with mithril items of any size, the metal inflicts 1d4 damage to them per round, regardless of the size of the items or the number of attackers. Two or three assailants with mithril devices can effectively entrap a Bone-Leecher, even if they can't completely surround it, as if it can't perceive a direction to move in that would allow it to escape. Use roll-under Luck checks to see if the herders can entrap the creature; as long as any of them succeed in their roll, the creature is held.

They feed by intersecting with the living. While occupying the same space, the Bone-Leecher absorbs nutrients from the bones of its target, making the victim's skeletal structure weaker and weaker from within. The damage rolled is tracked by the Judge, but not applied to the character immediately. The effect of multiple rounds of damage are added together. For every 10 points in total, the character suffers 1 hp of damage, probably not realizing they are being damaged until they start to feel it in this way. Whether the character knows they have taken it or not, this damage heals at a rate of one point per day (however, if the character is suffering from Ability score loss, which also recovers at a rate of 1 point per day, the character cannot recover both Ability score loss and damage from the Bone-Leecher; the Judge may roll randomly to determine which is recovered on any given day). "Hidden" damage can only reach a maximum of the character's total hit points.

Subsequent to taking this damage, if the victim fumbles in combat, is hit by a blunt or bludgeoning weapon for 4 or more points of damage, suffers a fall from any height, is in a vehicle that brakes hard or collides with another object, or is physically impacted in any major way, consult the following chart. The effect represents fractured and broken bones.

Points of Damage / Effect

   1-30
Roll 1d24; the amount rolled is suffered as immediate damage up to the maximum amount unhealed. This heals at a rate of one point per day.

   31-50
Roll 1d50; the amount rolled is suffered as immediate damage, up to the maximum amount unhealed. This heals at a rate of one point per day.

   51+
Roll 1d100; the amount rolled is suffered as immediate damage, up to the maximum amount unhealed. This heals at a rate of one point per day.


• If the victim suffers an impact, but does not 'discharge' all of their "hidden" damage, that damage is healed after the "exposed" damage, and may become exposed by subsequent impacts, falls, fumbles, etc.

• The Judge and player should feel free to invent other hindrances for the character, based on the amount of this damage that is in effect currently.

Lay On Hands Effects: For each die of healing, roll 1d10 and subtract that from not-in-effect damage first, with overflow and subsequent healing results applying to the currently-in-effect damage. Note that the use of LoH to this specific condition assumes the caster is aware of this specific condition. If they are not aware, they cannot target this damage with a LoH.


A dead Bone-Leecher fades back to it's home dimension within 1d3 rounds.


[Presented as an option for the One Page Dungeon Contest entry The Umber Woods from 2016]

MOBILE MENHIRS a.k.a. STONE SENTRIES

Init +4
Melee Atk
 • club +6 (1d6)
 • collide +5 (1d12)
Ranged Atk
 • javelin +4 (1d6, 20')
AC 18
HD 9d8+9
MV 30
Act 1d20
SP collision attack, bludgeoning susceptibility, infravision 40'
Fort +10
Ref +2
Will +12
AL N

Protecting a lair or passage from intrusion are a set of standing stones which animate should any threat draw near. They appear as normal stone features of the cave system, but 'limbs' partially or completely cleave away to make attacks, and the entire slab of stone can move so as to reach a threat to attack it, or to make their special collision attack.

If a target is between two Stone Sentries, they will attempt to both rush at the target and smash together with the target sandwiched between them. They can use their Action Die for movement and still get an attack roll as well. Each gets to roll their attack; it could turn out that only one hits or both or none. They can also attempt this attack if they are within 60' of a wall, and the target is between the Stone and the wall. And the Mobile Menhir doesn't actually collide, but rather stops less than an inch from it's counterpart or from the the wall, when making this attack (thus it is not damaged from the collision).

The Sentries take double damage from bludgeoning weapons, or blunt heavy objects. The Judge will have to make a call as to whether any given spell will effect the Stone or not, and if it will do double damage, or not.


[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest entry Future Tense from 2015]

OGRE-TROLL

Init +8
Melee Atk
 • claw +13 (2d6+6)
 • bite +10 (2d8+6)
 • giant mace +9 (3d6+6)
AC 21
HD 12d8+10
MV 20
Act 3d20
SP sweeping blow, stench, regeneration, immune to critical hits, immune to mind-effects, immune to poison, vulnerable to fire
Fort +14
Ref +7
Will +9
AL C

The Ogre-Troll stands 20' tall, and will strike fear into the stoutest hearts. Beneath it's amber skin is a highly dense, mossy substance, with no internal organs, nor muscles, nor bones whatsoever. Its meager intelligence tells it that it exists only to feed, and it will feed on anything, starting with living animals — including humans and demi-humans.

When it hits with a claw attack, if it exceeds the target's AC by 10 or more, that target is swept up in the thing's mighty swing and tossed 2d30 feet away, taking 1d6 damage if swept more than 10 feet.

Alternately, when it hits with a claw attack, it can pick up the target instead of doing full damage (reduced to 1d6). It can then use it's bite attack to begin eating them, needing an attack roll to get an effective chomp. Escape takes an Agility (Dex) Check or a Strength Check vs. DC 20.

The behemoth has a frightful stench, a concentrated odor of rot. Anyone within 30' of the creature must make a Will Save vs. 18 or suffer with all dice rolled one step down the Dice Chain (d20 > d16 > d14, etc.). After 3 rounds, one can adjust to the horrendous smell and overcome the effect. But if re-encountering the creature, the stench effect begins anew.

The Ogre-Troll regenerates hit points at a rate of 2d8 per round, at the end of the round. if reduced to 0 hit points, this effect continues. Only if killed by fire or some very extreme means does the regeneration stop.

The creature's density and lack of vulnerable organs makes it immune to critical hits. It's lack of a true brain make it immune to mind affecting spells and the like. Poison does not affect it.

On any round that it takes fire damage, it's regeneration is reduced to 1d8, but it cannot recover the damage from the fire in this way.


[Presented as an option for the One Page Dungeon Contest entry The Umber Woods from 2016]

FORGOTTEN SOLDIER

Init +4
Melee Atk
 • rusted sword +1 (1d5 +poison)
Ranged Atk
 • slugthrower +1 (1d4 squared)
AC 12
HD 4d8+4
MV 30
Act 1d16
SP combat awakening, lay of the land
Fort +5
Ref +4
Will +2
AL C

He was a capable soldier... But the Forgotten Soldier got left behind, either through an injury (that later healed), a clerical error, or a momentary doubt in his resolve — and though the war he was enlisted in is long over, he is unaware of that fact and still faithful to his duty.

Though he is out of practice, once he is engaged in a fight, his combat abilities awaken and return to him... Whenever he is missed by an attempt to strike him, his Action Die rises by one step, to a maximum of 1d30+1d20 (the second Action Die is added after the first reaches 1d30 and follows this progression: 1d12 > 1d14 > 1d16 > 1d20). When an attack hits him, his AC rises by 1d3, to a maximum of 21. All of these increases remain in effect for 3d6 Turns after the fight that brought them into effect ends, whereupon they fade back to base levels over a like period of time.

Those struck and harmed by the Forgotten Soldier's sword may become ill from the unclean blade. All so hit should roll a Fort Save vs. a DC 15. All who fail that check will find one of their Attributes suppressed for 1d3 days by 1d3 points, along with fever and chills. Each additional strike where the Save is failed adds +1 to the amount of the Attribute suppressed. This effect kicks in after 24 hours, striking (roll 1d5): 1) Strength, 2) Agility, 3) Stamina, 4) Intelligence, 5) Personality. It can be avoided by appropriate trained medical care in advance of the 24 hours elapsing.

His great advantage is that he has patrolled the area he is found in endlessly since losing contact with his unit. He can create a surprise attack in any situation where he can move about within the area of his expertise unseen. He can always move within his area stealthily on a 5-in-6. When attacking thereafter, if the stealth was effective, he gains an additional 1d20 Action Die for one round. He can use this die to again move into hiding, or for an extra attack.

If anyone attempts to use stealth against him within his expertly known area, he can see through it on a 4-in-5, and thereby spoil any surprise intended, or trail those attempting to leave the area.

The Forgotten Soldier's slugthrower becomes inoperable on a Fumble. It will take him 1d3 days with the tools he has on hand to fix it. He has 10x 3d10 rounds left (adjust that number to suit you, if you don't want this technology falling into the hands of your player characters [but why not?]).


[Presented as an option for the One Page Dungeon Contest entry The Umber Woods from 2016]

BURN BEETLE

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • bite +2 (1d3 +1d6 heat, special)
Ranged Atk
 • magma gob +1 (1d6 heat, special)
AC 15
HD 2d8
MV 30
Act 1d20
SP magma injection, tarry projectile, infravision 80'
Fort +6
Ref +1
Will +1
AL C

These 2-foot long insectoid creatures generate a tarry, magma-like substance in their bellies. They roam cavern systems, consuming smaller insects — and bits of rock and rock dust along the way.

When their territory is threatened, they will attack, using the searing hot substance in their stomachs to defend themselves. When they bite, they can inject the hot magma into their victim; when the d6 damage die comes up a 6, it is re-rolled and the result added to the total. A succession of 6s can obviously kill even a large creature, having been lethally burned from the inside out by the beetle's spew.

Similarly, if it spits a gob of the tarry magma at a target, the gob may stick, causing extra damage. If the damage die comes up as a 5 or 6, on the following round roll a d5 for extra damage. If that should come up a 4 or 5, on the next round roll a d4 for extra damage, and so on down the Dice Chain. Trying to remove a stuck gob quickly takes a roll-under Luck check, and if another round's damage has already been determined, it occurs from the process of removal or from remnants left on the victim, but no further damage can occur from that gob.

[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest Entry Future Tense from 2015]

CAVE SPIDER

Init +6
Melee Atk
 • bite +5 (1d3 +1d3 rounds paralysis)
Ranged Atk
 • web blast +4 (DC 16 entanglement)
AC 13
HD 3d8
MV 20
Act 1d20
SP stacking entanglement, infravision 120'
Fort +3
Ref +5
Will +0
AL N

Cave spiders stand 2 feet tall, with a leg-span of 6 feet. They will attack any target that shows up clearly via their infravision.

Each additional blast of web against someone already entangled increases the DC by 2. Strength is used to break through web, and the web is highly flammable. If the DC of a web is too high for a character to break, should they roll a natural 20 in their attempt, they reduce the DC by 2, and can thus continue to try to escape (except as noted below).

If a target becomes entangled by webs with a DC of 30 or more, they are considered completely entangled and unable to move. This doesn't mean that a cave spider will begin eating the target right away, but they will soon move the target to a high position somewhere in their web network for consumption in the near future (1d3 hours).

Cave spiders will generally be found in "neighborhoods" of 2 to 3 spiders, with a complex network of webbing drastically changing the architecture of a cavern over a large area. They will create a large number of "sticky traps" for other creatures and characters to stumble into... Treat these like a web blast fixed in place, with the Save DC to avoid them and the Strength check DC to break out of them both the same number: 10+1d6

[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest Entry Future Tense from 2015]

SOOR'EK (GOBLINS)

Init -3
Melee Atk
 • kick +1 (1d3)
 • pick +1 (1d4)
 • dagger +1 (1d4+1)
Ranged Atk
 • thrown rock -1 (1d3)
 • slingshot +1 (1d3)
AC 13
HD 1d6
MV 20
Act 1d20
SP infravision 20', groupthreat
Fort +1
Ref +2
Will +0
AL C

The Soor'ek are a minor race, only very occasionally found outside the Otherlands. They have a garbled language of their own, and a culture that emphasizes hunting and gathering and preparing for a massive, month-long feast in Autumn, followed by a Winter and early-Spring spent in a nearly-drunken state of stupor. Large bands have been known to eat themselves out of their own settled regions, needing to move elsewhere in search of sufficient food stuffs.

They are humanoid, standing no more than 3 feet high, with lanky limbs and an amber coloration. They are fierce to defend what they identify as theirs, and can be an overwhelming threat when encountered in numbers and in close quarters, moving with strange, disorienting, dance-like movements, and striking with a high degree of coordination.

GROUPTHREAT: For every four of them fighting together (no more than 5' between 'adjacent' members in such a group), they double their melee attack bonus (to a maximum of +16) and add +1 to their damage and AC. Thus, if nine of them were to attack, they'd each have an attack of +4, an AC of 15, and do damage at +2 each. Fighting a group of 30 of them would mean they each had attacks at +16, AC of 20, and add 7 to the damage they dealt.

This groupthreat effect when applied to ranged attacks advances the attack bonus as per AC and damage above, adding 1 per each group of four working together.

They cannot practice groupthreat when in their stupor phase.

[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest entry Future Tense from 2015]
[Presented as an option for the One Page Dungeon Contest entry The Umber Woods from 2016]

THE BEAST WAITING (IN THE BUSHES [of love])

Init +8
Melee Atk
 • flailing claws +9 (1d16)
 • rasping tail +8 (1d14)
AC 19
HD 8d12
MV 60, fly 10
Act 3d20+2d16
SP life-tether, allsense, green-stealth
Fort +10
Ref +12
Will +10
AL C

"Forty-nine times we fought that beast..."

The Beast Waiting only attacks those who love. Whether that is a romantic emotion, or paternal, or filial or otherwise, only those who exhibit a strong bond to another being can be targeted by this creature. Beings that exhibit no attachment to anyone else (not even a pet) can attack the creature, but the creature cannot attack them back.

When it attacks it's target, the thing brings strong and cherished emotions to the surface of the target's mind. The target may not understand what is happening. The Beast Waiting has no need to fight to the death; harrying it's targets is good enough for it.

It can perceive equally well in all situations: daylight, night, fog, smoke, loud environs, underwater, obscuring magic, and so on.

The Beast Waiting can hide in foliage with near perfect concealment (29-in-30). Even the most expert woodsman could walk right by, say, a bush the thing is hiding in and not notice it was there. It can move among flora with great stealth, being undetected on an 11-in-12 (alternately, use a DC 22 check to detect it hiding, and a DC 20 check when it moves).

When it flies it is nearly silent — but looks for all the world as if it is struggling to get away from something that has snared it.

It cannot simply be killed. When reduced to zero hit points, its towering body melts into a tarry goo, which quickly turns to ash and drifts away on the wind. Because love still exists, it comes back into existence 1d30 days later.

To finally destroy the thing once and for all, the thing's target must concentrate on those they love while fighting the beast. This is something they are going to have to realize for themselves. This concentration must be intense enough to reduce all Action Dice for the round by one step down the Dice Chain. This weakens the thing's life-tether, meaning it can be truly destroyed if killed within the next 1d3 rounds. If a character concentrates so hard as to reduce their Action Dice more than one step, and additional 1d2 rounds of weakening occurs for every additional step down the Dice Chain they take. They must be within 20' of the thing for this weakening to occur.

They say everyone of us has something waiting in the bushes for us.

Below is a chart of suitable details for whenever the thing kills a target...

Killing Strike Details Table
1 - Face removed
2 - Groin sundered
3 - Impaled in three places
4 - All limbs removed
5 - Spatchcocked

LIVING CLOUD

Init +5
Melee Atk
 • fetch & chew +15 (5d30)
 • bludgeon +15 (2d24)
AC 10
HD 10d30
MV 100, fly 100
Act 4d24
SP undying, dispersal, varying size
Fort +15
Ref +15
Will +15
AL N

The Living Cloud is a marauder, roaming the land and collecting samples of everything it encounters. It is comprised of millions upon millions of impossibly tiny organisms, which can each act independently or collectively with a single thought process. These miniscule organisms can break away singly or in small groups, doing so for defense or to carry away samples collected.

The Living Cloud is dark grey in appearance, and while it can float and change shape as does a fog bank, to touch it is like touching something part way between a foam pad and a gelatin. The Living Cloud can also change consistency to a rigidity like iron or disperse completely into invisible nothingness, reforming elsewhere when it sees fit. It has an approximate volume of 30' cubed on average, though this very gradually reduces over time as small portions fly away with samples to unknown regions. It can compress down to a volume of 8' cubed, and expand to 100' cubed and still be visible and effective.

Whether the Living Cloud is animal, vegetable, magic, phantom or illusion, no man knows. The samples it collects are so small as to be unnoticeable (though were it to focus on a single item, it's multitudinousness could completely dismantle it; it could remove a lake, tiny droplet by tiny droplet, undetectably).

There is no discernible pattern to the Living Cloud's roaming. It can pass through a village or city in haphazard fashion and resume rolling over the countryside. There is likewise no pattern to the objects and beings it crosses over; it is as likely to pass through a blacksmiths as a bakery as it is a stable. There is in fact, only one known substance it seems to behave differently around: diamonds.

When discovering diamonds of any size, the Living Cloud will wrest the entire gem away, and a portion of itself will carry off the diamond. Lately, some climbers have found diamonds systematically arranged on the peaks of the highest mountains, but what significance this has no one has been able to determine.

If threatened, the Living Cloud will defend itself by grabbing at it's attackers with a pseudopod-like projection and pulling the attackers into itself. Generally, they are ejected seconds later with their bodies mangled and mashed together into a single mass. If attacking multiple targets who are reasonably close together, the Cloud makes a single attack roll, but divides its bonus among the targets equally, and rounds all fractions up. So if striking at three targets, its attack roll would be 1d24+5, vs. each target's AC.

NB: Stats are provided for those who wish to treat the Living Cloud like a creature that can be fought — while the intention is to treat the thing more like an alien force of nature. Large-scale effects may have some impact on the Living Cloud, as the Judge prefers, but a simple sharpened blade or projectile should have no discernible effect on the thing.


 From Olaf Stapledon's Last and First Men:

"...the cloud's progress ceased, and its outlines became vague and ragged. Fragments of it actually drifted away on the winds and dissipated themselves. Almost as soon as the message was completed, the cloud began to define itself again, and lay for a quarter of an hour at rest. A dozen bold young men from the town now approached the dark mass out of curiosity. No sooner did they come face to face with it, round a bend in the valley, than the cloud rapidly contracted, till it was no bigger than a house. Looking now something between a dense, opaque fume and an actual jelly, it lay still until the party had ventured within a few yards. Evidently their courage failed, for they were seen to turn. But before they had retreated three paces, a long proboscis shot out of the main mass with the speed of a chameleon's tongue, and enveloped them. Slowly it withdrew; but the young men had been gathered in with it. The cloud, or jelly, churned itself violently for some seconds, then ejected the bodies in a single chewed lump." 

TORGO

Init +0
Social Atk
 • clumsy pass +6 vs. Will+10 (marked)
 • disturbing gait & speech Fort Save DC 15 (Will-suppressed)
Melee Atk
 • punch -1 (0-1)
 • staff -1 (1d6)
 • by weapon -2 (by type -1d)
Ranged Atk
 • by weapon -2 (by type -1d)
AC 14
HD 6d30
MV 20
Act 1d20
SP Un-dead, demon-marked
Fort +12
Ref +12
Will +12
AL C

Torgo watches over the place wh- while the Master is away.

"The Place" appears when travelers are lost and should surely have reached their destination long beforehand. It is a simple-seeming cottage, appearing completely innocuous and of its location. In truth, it is a psychic construct, an oubliette of the mind. It exists within the mind of the Master, seeking out those who are lost while he sleeps. The Place offers shelter and a veneer of comfort, if a dingy, lackluster sort of comfort.

Torgo's social attacks prepare those lost to be inducted into the Master's coven — or to be destroyed or transformed by the Master, as he sees fit.

Torgo's gait is attention-grabbing and disturbing. Those that see him shamble along must succeed in a Fort Save or else have their Will Save suppressed by 1. This effect is cumulative, so the longer one spends in the Place, the more likely one is to be weakened.

As a PC's Will is weakened, they can more easily penetrate the artificial barriers of the veneer of the Place, and move into the realm of the Master, perhaps discovering his coven, his demon dogs, or even the Master himself.

If alone with a female traveler, Torgo will attempt to make a pass at them, complimenting their beauty or strength or whatever traits are most noticeable. If he succeeds, they are marked for his Master; this mark means the Master moves to a more advantageous position one-step along the Dice Chain against that individual for all actions.

The Master is a demon-blooded man who has built up a sizable coven. Torgo has been marked by him, and thus is afflicted with un-death. Torgo will return to life if killed. His dead body regenerates at a rate of 1 hp per day, until he returns to full hit points and resumes a life-like state. His demon-mark also means that other demons can control him more easily.